Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Richmond International Raceway … Richard Childress has nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories as a car owner at Richmond International Raceway – five with Dale Earnhardt, three with Kevin Harvick and one with Clint Bowyer. Additionally, in 157 starts at the Richmond, Va.-based track, RCR drivers have claimed 36 top-five and 67 top-10 finishes. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization holds a 17.4 average starting position, an average finishing position of 15.1, has completed 59,687 of the 62,722 contested laps (95.2 percent) and collectively led 3,252 laps.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,703 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 473 top-five finishes and 1,024 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16.0. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR XFINITY Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.
The Collective RCR … RCR’s three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank 12th (Dillon), 14th (Newman) and 21st (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.
Catch the Action … The Federated Auto Parts 400 is scheduled to be televised live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.
This Week’s Dow Chevrolet SS at Richmond International Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 526 in the Federated Auto Parts 400. This is the same Chevrolet SS that Dillon raced to a 13th-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July. He also raced this Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway in April.
Dillon at Richmond International Raceway …. In five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Dillon’s best finish at the track to-date is 20th (September 2014 and April 2016), while his best starting position is 11th in April 2016. He has made eight NASCAR XFINITY Series appearances at the track, earning five top-10 finishes and leading 14 laps.
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Questions, Please … Dillon is scheduled to participate in NASCAR Media Availability in the Richmond International Raceway Media Center on Friday, September 9 at 2 p.m. ET.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at the Team Chevy stage alongside his brother, Ty Dillon, in the Richmond International Raceway Fan Midway on Friday, September 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Why is Richmond International Raceway so challenging?
Richmond International Speedway challenges you a lot. One minute you’re doing really well and the next minute it’s like a light switch and something changes and you lose the tires. You just have to be smart about where you are at on the track when you’re running hard and the setup that you have in the car.
How would you judge the regular season so far in 2016?
It’s been a good regular season compared to the last two. I feel like we gave some points up here and there, but overall the speed has been much better this year and we’re starting to turn things around and get in the right direction. Our mindset and our goal is to just do whatever it takes to make it into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. It would be huge to make it. It’s a big boost of confidence and that’s what we all do it for.
This Week’s Dutch Boy / Menards Chevrolet SS at Richmond International Raceway … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 527 from the Richard Childress Racing stable. This Chevrolet last saw track action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and recorded a seventh-place finish.
Richmond Stats … Menard’s best start of seventh came in September 2010 and best finish of fifth in September 2013 at the 0.75-mile track. He has one top-10 finish and has completed 98.4 percent of laps with four laps led in competition.
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Meet Menard … Menard is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage on Saturday, Sept. 10 beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
What was the big takeaway from Richmond International Raceway when we were there in April?
“I don’t remember the spring race that well. Richmond has always been a hit-or-miss track for us. We’ve gotten a top-five finish there but we also have a lot of finishes around 20th. We struggled as a company in this race last year for the Chase cutoff. We changed the cars around a lot this off-season and I thought we were more competitive in the spring. We’ve changed the cars more since then and made some gains, so I’m looking forward to how we shake out.”
When we go back to Richmond, it’ll be a night race. Will this make a big difference?
“I thought the spring race during the day was pretty wide and we could run pretty high in the corners. Typically for a night race the track doesn’t open up as much, but hopefully it’s a really hot night and we can open up the groove.”
This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet SS at Richmond International Raceway … Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 547 in Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400. This will be the second time this season that this Chevrolet has competed on the track. Newman drove 547 to a 10th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29.
Career Stats at Richmond … Newman will make his 537th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the Series competes on Saturday night. In 29 Sprint Cup Series events at RIR, Newman visited victory lane at the fall event in 2003. The “Rocket Man” also owns one pole award from the fall of 2004. In total, he owns six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. In the last 10 events at the 0.75-mile facility, Newman ranks seventh in most points earned.
Featured Caterpillar Dealer … Carter Machinery will be the featured Cat dealer on the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
Based in Salem, Va., Carter Machinery will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for Richmond International Raceway’s weekend event. Established in 1952, Carter Machinery has a clear vision: enable every customer to achieve their highest level of success. They demonstrate this commitment every day through the support of people and equipment working in diverse industries ranging from construction and mining to trucking and power generation. Their network of 21 locations across Virginia and southern West Virginia is staffed by over 1,100 unrelenting, top-notch professionals. As a result, they’ve grown to be one of the leading Caterpillar dealers in the U.S. More information is available at cartermachinery.com.
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RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What makes Richmond International Raceway unique?
“Richmond is one of the best, if not arguably, the best short track we go to just because you fight a little bit of everything. You have two different shaped corners, D-shaped tri-oval. There is a lot of braking and acceleration. Forward drive is usually at a premium. It’s just that typical short track but it’s the right size that fits our race car. It’s a lot of fun.”
What is the one thing you know you will have to contend with when racing there?
“You always have to work on two things at Richmond. That’s turning in the center and getting forward drive off of Turn 4. You still have to have good braking balance and things like that. Turning in the center and forward drive are the dominant parts of most every short track and Richmond is no different.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Richmond International Raceway … In 78 Series starts at the 0.75-mile raceway, RCR has captured six victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2003, 2005, 2006 and 2012) and Clint Bowyer (2007). The Welcome, North Carolina organization has accumulated five pole awards, 24 top-five finishes, 44 top-10 finishes, led 1,756 laps and averages a starting position of 10.7 and finishing position of 12.1. RCR has completed 18,502 laps of the 19,122 (96.8 percent) that they have competed.
Darlington Review … Brandon Jones was the highest RCR finisher in ninth, Ty Dillon 12th, Brendan Gaughan 16th and Paul Menard 20th, respectively, at Darlington Raceway.
The Points … All three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 10 of the driver point standings as the series heads to Richmond International Raceway for the 25th event of the season. Ty Dillon is currently fourth, Brendan Gaughan is fifth and Brandon Jones is eighth. The No. 2 RCR team leads the owner point standings. Brandon Jones is currently third in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway will be televised live on Friday, Sept. 9, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
This Week’s Ruud Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 163 at Richmond International Raceway for the Virginia529 College Savings 250. In eight races, chassis No. 163 has captured one victory, three top-five and six top-10 finishes.
Richmond Nuggets … In eight previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Dillon has recorded one top-five finish and five top-10 finishes. He holds an average starting position of 9.5, coupled with an average finishing position of 13.8 with 14 laps led.
Ruud is Back … Like RCR, Ruud is a pioneer in reliable performance. In 1889, Edwin Ruud invented the first automatic gas water heater and since then, the Ruud brand has grown into one of North America’s largest and most respected makers of quality heating, cooling and water heating products for residential and light commercial use. The Ruud reputation for engineering excellence, reliability, strength and top performance has been consistently recognized by leading consumer publications as a brand that can be trusted to deliver efficient, reliable performance day in and day out.
No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With 24 XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has three victories, two pole awards, 15 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes, with 64 laps led to their credit. Dillon will drive the Rheem Chevrolet next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What’s it like to race in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway?
“Richmond has been one of those places that hasn’t be the greatest for me so when you get to run as many laps as you can, it’s really helpful. I feel like it’s a challenging place to learn how to drive and the tires fall off quite a bit. I’ve used a different driving style each time I’ve raced there. You just have to learn and develop every time you get on the track. I’m excited. I hope one day they put down some track tack like they did at Bristol (Motor Speedway).”
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway …
Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 176 for this weekend’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Dillon drove chassis No. 176 to a second-place finish earlier this season at Iowa Speedway and a fifth-place finish at Dover International Speedway.
Dillon in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Richmond International Raceway … In seven XFINITY Series starts at RIR, Dillon has an average starting position of 10.7 and a finishing position of 9.3. Dillon drove the No. 3 WESCO Chevrolet Camaro to a second-place finish at RIR earlier this season after winning heat No. 2 and the Dash4Cash $100,000 bonus.
Chase spot clinched … With a 12th-place finish this past weekend at Darlington Raceway, Dillon and the No. 3 team clinched a position in the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase. The Round of 12 is set to begin at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 17.
Meet Ty Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at the Bass Pro Shops in Ashland, Virginia on Thursday, Sept. 8, beginning at 6 p.m. ET. Fans also have an opportunity to see Dillon on Friday, Sept. 9, at the Team Chevy stage for a question-and-answer session beginning at 2:30 p.m. in the Fan Midway.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
You clinched a position in the inaugural Chase. How does that change your approach for these next two races?
“First off, we’re super excited to be in the position that we are in and it’s great to be able to compete for the championship. We feel really good about the tracks we visit in each round of the Chase, considering we’re heading back there for the second time for most of these tracks. That being said, we’d still like to win a race and carry some momentum into the first round at Kentucky Speedway. We’re going to be very aggressive this weekend at Richmond, and hopefully duplicate our efforts from the spring, where we ran second most of the day. Richmond is pretty difficult from a technical standpoint, but we’re ready for the challenge and hopefully finish one position better than last time.”
This Week’s Roland Chevrolet at Richmond … Brandon Jones will pilot chassis No. 164 this weekend in the Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared chassis will be utilized for the fifth time this season. Jones previously raced this chassis at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and both events at Bristol Motor Speedway. Chassis No. 164 has an average finish of 8.75 in 2016.
About Roland … Roland DGA Corporation is a leading provider of wide-format inkjet printers for vehicle graphics, signs, textiles and specialty goods. Roland printers and printer/cutters are the technology of choice for the Richard Childress Racing Graphics Center in the production of wraps for all of RCR’s race cars, show cars and support vehicles, as well as packaging, displays and specialty graphics for Childress Vineyards.
Visiting Veterans … Before making his way to RIR for this weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race, Jones is scheduled to visit the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Hospital in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday, Sept. 8., where he will sign autographs, tour the hospital and meet with veterans.
Meet the Driver … Jones is scheduled to appear at the Chevrolet Stage for a Q&A starting at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 9. and will also take part in the XFINITY Series autograph session in the amphitheater located in the fan midway starting at 2 p.m. ET on Friday.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on racing Richmond, a place you have some experience?
“I enjoy going to Richmond. It’s a track that I have some experience on racing the XFINITY Series and in the K&N East cars. I am interested to get back there to see how the track has changed. Everybody seemed to have a loose handling car when we were there earlier this year. We are going to try a few different things on the Roland Chevrolet this weekend. We’re pretty much locked into the Chase, so we’ll take a couple of swings at it and get up front.”
How helpful is it to get back to racetracks that you will be seeing for a second or third time? Do you feel more confidence when you go back to a place you’ve raced before?
“I absolutely feel more confidence going back to a track for the second or third time. As soon as I unload, I know right where I need to be. I know how deep I can drive the car into the corner. I already know where all my marks are around the track. It is a huge help. I had a lot more confidence when we unloaded at a place like Bristol when we went back there for a second time a few weeks ago, so I expect the same thing to happen this weekend at Richmond.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 178 this Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was previously raced at Auto Club Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Iowa Speedway in 2016. Chassis No. 178 has an average starting position of 14th and an average finishing position of 12th.
Richmond Results … In nine NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Gaughan has completed 2,141 laps of the 2,151 (99.5 percent) laps that he has competed. The Las Vegas native has earned two top-10 finishes and averages a starting position of 14.6 and finishing position of 16.1. This past spring, Gaughan started 15th and finished seventh at RIR.
This Week at the South Point … The South Point Hotel and Casino will host the High Roller Reining Classic Horse Show & Western Gift Show September, 8-18 in the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center. Reining is a rapidly growing equestrian international sport consisting of leading reining competitions in premier locations across the world. More than $500,000 in cash and prizes will be up for grabs in this year’s event. For more information, visit southpointcasino.com.
Meet Gaughan … The No. 62 driver is scheduled appear at the Team Chevy stage located in the Fan Midway on Friday, Sept. 9, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Time for a question-and-answer session. Gaughan will also sign autographs Friday afternoon at the XFINITY Series autograph session located in the amphitheater beginning at 2 p.m. ET as part of the fan appreciation weekend at RIR.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Richmond International Raceway?
“I think Richmond is one of the best tracks we have on the schedule. It’s like Martinsville, the fans love it. The night races are great, it’s aggressive and guys really battle there. Hopefully we will end up with a nice top-10 finish Friday night and move on to Chicagoland Speedway. A lot of people think I don’t like the track, the guys on the team even joke about me playing sick and getting another driver. It is well-known, Richmond is not my best track.”
Why do you dislike racing at Richmond International Raceway?
“The bad part is, I don’t dislike the track. For some reason, it is a racetrack that does not and has not fit well with me. Even on my three best finishes, things have gone wrong for our team. Even when things go right, they go wrong for me. We are going to go there and do like we always do and try to run well. The good news is, we are locked in on points for the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase, so it’s all right. We will make it work.”
